nounEtymology: Middle English predecessour, from Anglo-French predecessur, from Late Latin praedecessor, from Latin prae- pre- + decessor retiring governor, from decedere to depart, retire from office — more at deceaseDate: 14th century1. one that precedes; especially a person who has previously occupied a position or office to which another has succeeded
2.archaicancestor

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predecessor — pre‧de‧ces‧sor [ˈpriːdsesə ǁ ˈpredsesər] noun [countable] formal 1. a person who was in a particular post or job before the person who is doing it now: • Problems he inherited from his predecessor led to the bank s later troubles. 2. a machine … Financial and business terms

Predecessor — Pred e*ces sor (?; 277), n. [L. praedecessor; prae before + decessor one who withdraws from the province he has governed, a retiring officer (with reference to his successor), a predecessor, fr. decedere: cf. F. pr[ e]d[ e]cesseur. See… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

predecessor — ► NOUN 1) a person who held a job or office before the current holder. 2) a thing that has been followed or replaced by another. ORIGIN Latin praedecessor, from prae beforehand + decessor retiring officer … English terms dictionary